Safety replacement cover for catch basins



Nov. 27, 1951 o. w. NELSON SAFETY REPLACEMENT COVER FOR CATCH BASINSFiled June 2. 1949 OW. NELSON ATTORNEY Patented Nov. 27, 1951 UNITEDTATES PATENT OFF-ICE 2,576,353 "SAFETY REPLACEMENT COVER FOR CATCHBASINS OSca'r" WaIter 'Nelson Duluth, Minn. :Appueafien Junez,1949,"seria1No.96,732

1 .Glaim.

This invention relates 'tosafety means andhas '-specia1 reference to areplacement *catch'ba's'i'n cover unit for use particularly in homes andother plates where the common Catch basin and 'OVI present aconstant-hazard.

It is well known that catch basins are-a constant source of fear innames and other build- ;ings, where there :much trame th'e'basementin'the vicinity-of tneeaten basin. is especially .so where childrenarepresent, and

in places where regular work is done, such as the weekly laundry or thelike. Thisfear due or replacement, catchbasin cover, which willinsureag'ainst any serious accidents happening due to an unsafe catchbasin.

Another object is to provide a replacement catch basin cover which:maybe manufactured in standard sizes to be used to replace standardsized catch basin covers.

Another object is to provide a safety tray in my replacement cover unitwhich will bias itself to a firm seat on the rim of the catch basin andthereby eliminate one of the most common hazards in catch basin covers,to wit: that of the cover being seemingly properly seated but actuallynot so seated.

Another object is to provide a replacement cover with a dish-like,reticulate tray which will provide adequate drainage into the catchbasin, and will provide for absolute safety against anyone being injureddue to stepping into a catch basin; and also to provide a cover for thetray which will adequately close the mouth of the reticulate tray whenthe catch basin is not in active use.

A further object is to provide a safe and efficient catch basin cover inas simple and inexpensive a manner as possible.

These and other objects and advantages will. become more apparent as thedescription of the invention proceeds.

In the accompanying drawing forming a part of this application:

fir

Fig. i is a vertical eeiitraisectionm view or a catch basin having myreplacement cover unit installed thereingthe cover member of myreplacement unit being shown in elevation.

Fig. 2' is atop plan view "df my replacer'nerit unit with'parts brokenaway to show the reticulate construction er thetray portion.

n the drawing, the reference numeral I indicates a portion of esterwhich has a 2 installed therein which provides a seat 3 for the usualcover (not shown) are catch basin].

The cover which is "usuall used for a catch basin is merely acircular'fiat use 'which'is kit a diameter substantially equai to thediameter of the seat 3, afidth-i's disis pf a thickness "so-that whenplaced on t-lie seat-it forms a substantiany eonumieiis surface with thenear surroundin the at'chba'siri. Dii'e the relativelysmeu areap'bvide'd as seat for the cover disc it is sameti' Hifiiiult to 'Seatthe disc properly. Un-

less this disc is perfectly seated, 9, great harem present. If! somecases the cover disc is ndt 'quit pf-fe'ctly 's'ateii, but "seemingly"is {foot to travel {down inte the catchfbasiii, the

danger iri whi char elearly a parent. I

, My replacement'cbver includes a tray member basins are circular. Thetrays diameteris substantially equal to that of the greatest diameter ofthe seat 3, and the thickness of the outer rim 6 is preferablysubstantially equal to the depth of the seat 3, thus providing for asubstantial form fit of the tray in the seat 3 as shown.

On the inner edge of the rim 6 a seat 1 is provided for the cover member8 of my replacement unit, and from the inner edge of the seat 1, thetray member dips downwardly as at 9 to form a shallow tray, the bottomof which is preferably not more than one inch below the upper face ofthe rim 6 and floor I. This feature insures against anyone being injuredby stepping into the catch basin, as a one inch drop is not sufiicientto result in any serious accident.

As seen in the drawing, the outer edge of the rim 6 provides a flange orledge [0 which rests on the seat 3 to support the replacement unit inits desired position. From the ledge or flange In, an arcuate annulus IIis provided which is preferably substantially quarter round. Thisannulus H is one of the features of my invention which provides formaximum safety. With the construction here shown, it will be seen thatwhen the replacement unit is placed over the catch basin, the annulus IIwill not provide a seat for the unit and will not cause any obstructionto the movement of the cover as it is being installed by sliding it overthe open catch basin or manhole opening. Therefore the unit will slipreadily over the catch basin opening and the depending tray or dishportion will drop smoothly into place and the flange will engage theseat 3 firmly all around.- The annulus H assures the centering of theunit over the catch basin, and the depth of the tray will insure thatthe unit can not rest on the catch basin rim improperly without the unitstanding materially above the floor level.

It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that the center ofgravity of the tray will be materially below the seat 3 and this willaid materially in maintaining the proper setting of the 'unit on thecatch basin as well as assist in properly seats ing the unit initially.In addition, it will be impossible for the tray portion of my unit toslip out of place on its seat due to someones stepping on any portionthereof, thus eliminating the most dangerous hazard of catch basin andmanhole covers, to Wit: that of having a cover seemingly seated properlywhen it actually is not so seated.

The bottom of the tray is provided with a plurality of perforations l2(they being here shown as enlarged, proportionately, to what they are inactual practice) that insure ample drainage capacity and at the sametime act as a strainer to prevent large objects from going into thecatch basin and clog the drain. 1

The cover member ,8 of my replacement unit is provided with a pluralityof preferably radial reenforcing ribs 13 on the under side thereof whichextend to within a relatively short distance from the bottom of the trayas shown, so that if the cover 8 should be improperly seated, a personstepping on same will experience but a very slight lowering of the footas the ribs will engage the bottom of the tray and thus the drop will beless than one-half inch with the construction here shown.

The outer'edges of the ribs l3 are preferably substantially verticallydisposed as at M and these vertical edges insure against the cover 8sliding out from under foot as they will engage in addition to thesafety features.

Having thus described my invention what I claim is:

As a new article of manufacture, a safety replacement cover unit forcatch basins having a of the cover 8.

cover seat, said unit comprising a shallow open tray having an outer rimand a reticulate bottom, a flange around the upper peripheral edge ofsaid rim to engage said seat and support said tray with a major portionthereof. below said seat, a substantially quarter round annulus on theouter edge of said cover and extending from the inner edge of saidflange inwardly and downwardly to insure proper seating of said tray insaid basin, an annular seat formedon the inner edge of said rim, saidlast mentioned seat being formed in substantial horizontal alinementwith and adjacent said flange, a circular cover for said tray, saidcover being seated on said last mentioned seat, said cover being insubstantial horizontal alinement with said rim, a plurality of radialribs on the under side of said cover, said ribs having substantiallyvertical ends to provide stops to prevent the slipping of said cover offsaid tray.

OSCAR WALTER NELSON.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Cavalieri Sept. 9,1947

